Current weather

Gas pumps still not operational after fire

Gas pumps at the Short Stop stayed off Monday after a fire at the service station Sunday night.

The fire broke out after a Ford F150 pickup knocked over one of the fueling stations at the Short Stop about 9:30 p.m. Quelland said the base of the pump and the surrounding area were on fire when Central Emergency Services arrived. By that time, employees had already shut off gas and directed the truck away from the downed fueling station.

Owner Roseann Jackson said the damage would likely be assessed today. Hopefully, the station will know when sales can resume after the assessment, she said. The store at the station is still open for business.

CES Cpt. Lesley Quelland said Sunday that the fuel and electrical lines to the out-of-commission pump need to be isolated before gas can flow to the other pumps again.

The station is at the intersection of Kalifornsky Beach Road and Poppy Lane.

Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Megan Peters said the name of the driver who hit the fueling station has not been released.

“At this point, no one’s been cited,” Peters said.

Right now, the crash is being attributed to icy conditions, but a determination has not been made. Damage to the truck was estimated at about $500.

“It was just really slick ice,” Peters said.

Jackson said the station contacted its insurance company about the incident, and is hoping insurance will cover the damages.

Sunday, Quelland said the fire could have had a different outcome had the circumstances been different or the station’s employees not responded so quickly.

Jackson said she was grateful for the quick response from CES. The department arrived and extinguished the fire less than nine minutes after it lit up, according to video footage of the incident, she said.

Jackson said it was both her employees and CES that prevented any further damage.